Just had Remote Starter Installed!

[cman2000]

hey guys

just installed my remote starter, which i got from circuit city. I had a $100 gift card to use there, which is why i got it there. I got the more advanced one, with a two-way transmitter. So my remote signals me when the car does start or if the signal failed to start my car, with the appropriate beep and green/red lights flashing on my remote. pretty sweet I paid about $150 more (so it was like $250 total w/o gift card), which includes the 4-5 hr installation.

I love this thing! I live on the third floor of my apartment, and i can start my car even from my living room! it said it has a 1,400 feet range, and i believe it. i can start it pretty far away.

it gets really hot here in Texas, so i love having my A/C blasting for 10min, and getting into a nicely cooled car

later

[hitek]

damn that sounds nice . how long did it take them to install it?

[cman2000]

hey hitek

well i think it was only 1 circuit city guy working on my car. dropped it off at 10am and they called me at 3pm...so about 5 hrs. but the total costs was including installation, so i didn;t care if they took 1 hr or 8 hrs.

there are cheaper remote starters ($100 or so), but no 2 way communication and smaller distance (500 ft or so only)

[Stealth]

Circuit City sucks, I used to work at one. Sounds like they did a good install though. The guys at the one I worked at were good too, but I've heard horror stories about other installers. You used to be able to buy those remote starters without install for $100. But for most people it will end up being around $250 after install just for remote start and keyless entry (another $40 or so).

[cman2000]

hey stealth

yeah, i was worried about getting a remote starter at circuit city too, but i had the gift card. Also they have a lifetime warrenty!!! If anything happens to the remote starter for as long as i have car, any circuit city will fix it.

I thought of getting the cheaper remote starter for $100, but they said installation would be about $125 extra. i thought, well why not go for the better system that is about $250 installed? made sense to me. mine came with keyless entry too (but my camry already had the factory keyless entry so it was not an added or new option).

[Eye8Pussies]

???

sorry, man, but that's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard....glad that you got one, and that the install went good, but running your car for 10min to get it cool is just stupid and bad for the environment....just get in your car and open all the windows for 2 min, that's all it takes....

I'd feel like an idiot if I remote start my car and leave it like I do in the winter time.....but then again, this winter it's been reaching -40 w/ windchill

[Stealth]

You made a good choice since you did have that giftcard, and you're forunate that they did good work.

The reason why the work quality of Circuit City is something to worry about is because the company is getting less and less caring about their employees AND customers. They're just trying to make more money, hence getting rid of commission last February and just this past January laying off many workers and eliminating positions (including myself and my manager). It's one thing if they don't care about their own workers, but they don't even care about the employees anymore, there are times when there is no one on the floor to take car of the section that I used to work in (car audio). As workers aren't getting paid enough anymore due to lack of commission and less hours, many of the workers who have been there longer have left, so then instead younger kids get hired who are willing to work for less, but their quality of work isn't as good due to lack of experience.

Err... damn that's pretty long. That's the economics of it and all.

[Nick]

why do you need a remote car starter in texas?

does it ever get to -40 over there? -10 even... come on you don't need to warm up your car before you drive it

10-20 seconds is all you need in reality, the time it takes you to scrape the frost off your windows

[Stealth]

Because it's convenient and us Americans are lazy. I'm sure it doesn't get cold there, but having to run out, start the car, lower the windows, run back inside, wait a few minutes, run back out and get going. Well, that whole process is annoying. Why not, just press remote start button, wait 10 minutes (do this 10 minutes ahead of time, not hard to remember), and go drive car? Also, it's more to cool down the car I'm sure, as Texas is notoriously hot.

Maybe you should start smoking again, Oldman, all your posts seem so negative and/or antagonizing. But I still love you anyway.

[cman2000]

hey guys

for those who say i "don't need" a remote starter in texas, and that it doesn't get that cold in texas, i just have to say that it does get pretty cold here during winter. It actually snowed for 3days last week here.

As for the leaving my car on for 10min in summertime, i was typing fast. It's more like 4-5min, like when i am putting on my shoes to go out, i start my car, and by the time i get downstairs, it's like 4 min later. Well, "hurting" the environment for running my car for a few extra minutes? hahaha, maybe you should forward that comment to those SUV drivers and truck drivers who get 14 mpg, and not camrys who get about 24/30 mpg.
And i agree with stealth, unless you've been in the texas summer heat (it gets up to 115*F here!, and think of the interior of the car...), you would not understand what burning hot temps mean

oldman, i also drive to chicago and michigan alot (family/friends there), so my remote starter will be good all over USA



hey stealth, i agree with you. circuit city's quality and customer care is going downhill. I still like it slightly better than best buy but not by much. Sometimes i'm in the car audio or computer section and would appreciate some help, and i see 2-3 employees standing nearby talking and not even bothering to help me. not very good service

[Rico_S]

Originally posted by cman2000
i just have to say that it does get pretty cold here during winter. It actually snowed for 3days last week here.

You can thank good ol' global warming for that one...

I never let my car idle very much. Even in the canadian cold. I turn it on, scape the windows, then i start driving, but i dont turn the fan on, by the time i'm pulling out of my complex it's blowing hot air. The way i look at it, the breif -15 shock will just wake me up in the mornin.

[haa21]

I'm glad your install went well. I have always wanted a remote starter. I'm afraid to have anyone but the dealer do an install. When I first got my car I had an alram installed and the place where I took if fried one of the onboard computers. They paid for a new one, but it was a hassle. What year is your Camry?

[cman2000]

hey haa21

i was like you before. i always wanted a remote starter, because it's more convenient, and just plain cool!

I have a 2000 camry LE auto 4 cyl. The starter said it is made for only auto transmissions, but i know there are some out there that can fit in manuals.

I was worried about the install too, but since i have 75,000 miles on my camry, the warrenty is long expired, and circuit city guarantees the starter for life of the car. if you're interested, haa21, check it out, or go to any audio shop. not sure if the audio shops will have the lifetime guarantee or not...

[Hollywoodcole]

Kool cman2000,
Glad everything went well. I also have a remote starter. If you where at Circuit City I got the one that cost like $400+ , but I got it off ebay for $150 and a local shop installed for $125. It was the Audiovox Prestige Alarm wth the two way remote( you don't know how many people think it is a phone). But I have no complaints about it. I love it. I don't unserstand why everyone is downing it. But the only thing about it is if one mistake goes wrong with the install that could mean a new engine.

[cman2000]

hey hollywoodcole

yeah i think that is the same remote starter that i got from circuit city. yup, ebay is always cheaper, but since i had the $100 gift card, i had to buy it from circuit city. But you said it was $400 at circuit city? It was listed as $250 including installation at my store, and they charged me about $40 more for some extra wires/stuff (immobilizer?) that was needed for my camry.

i agree with you...don't know why so many people are ripping on the starter. oh well, i'm pretty satisfied with it